Human Rights in Georgia, September 2000 (excerpts)
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Subject: Human Rights in Georgia, September 2000 (excerpts)
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Human Rights in Georgia, September 2000 (excerpts)
South Caucasian Human Rights Monitor published by the Caucasian
Institute for Peace, Development and Democracy with the help of the
Winston Foundation for Peace
Editor: Emil Adelkhanov-Steinberg
Part 3
Human Rights in Georgia
September 2000
- Absandze's trial
- Freedom of religion
- Freedom of press
- Police brutality
- Pardoning and mitigation
- Army and servicemen
- Georgians in Russia
- In and about Abkhazia
- Varia
......................
Freedom of religion
Paata Skhirtladze was arrested in the vicinity of Rustavi late in
August for hooliganism charges. Later on he was indicted for attempted
rape. Law-enforcement agencies suspect him of being the so-called
"Rustavi maniac", who had already raped and killed three young girls
(he has not been officially charged with it so far though). The
suspicion is grounded on the fact that he appeared to be a follower of
Osho Rajnesh, a Hindu guru. The story hit the headlines of mass media,
including the independent TV company "Rustavi-2" and some newspapers.
After it reached the prison, his inmates took the law in their own
hands: they cut off his ear and made him eat it. The Office of Public
Prosecutor has launched investigation of the case. Nana Devdariani,
the ombudsman, and the leader of the NGO "Prisoners' Brotherhood",
Lali Aptsiauri, were quick to announce that they would not defend
Skhirtladze. The "Rezonansi" newspaper argues that he is just a victim
of the stir caused by his exotic religion beliefs (several NGOs,
including CIPDD, share the newspaper's opinion).
CIPDD
A convention of Jehovah's Witnesses was scheduled for September 8-10
in Zugdidi. Late on the night of September 8 unidentified arsonists
attempted to set fire at the platform in the yard of the local
resident Badri Pirtskheliani's house (according to a press release of
Jehovah's Witnesses, his name was Kakha Pirtskheliani) where the
congress was to be held. After the attempt failed, they threw a
grenade which, fortunately, did not explode. Later on the same day,
September 8, when the convention was just about to end, the police
rushed into the yard and broke it the convention (which was attended
by some 1,000 people, including children). As the participants
rendered resistance, the police were shooting overhead.
"Alia" No. 142, September 9-10, p. 4, Lasha Berulava (from Zugdidi),
"Jehovah's Witnesses raided in Zugdidi"
Masked policemen dispersed the convention of Jehovah's Witnesses,
shooting over their heads, broke into and looted Kakha Pirtskheliani's
house, and set fire at the platform and seating on 8 September.
Several delegates were beaten.
Press release of Jehovah's Witnesses
Lali Aptsiauri, the chairperson of the NGO "Prisoners' Brotherhood",
reiterates her earlier statement that, proceeding from "moral
grounds", she is not going to defend Paata Skhirtladze, who is
labelled as a serial killer (the so-called "Rustavi maniac"). "What
has happened to him is not a tragedy for me. It is the activities of
his sect that is a tragedy for me and the whole nation." She retells
some thrilling stories about enormous arsenals of Satanists (thank
heaven, she does not say they have them in this country). Feeling sure
that his sect practices human sacrifices, she appreciates the role of
mass media in exposing its nature. She calls upon the general public
to wipe out the sect.
"Alia" No. 142, September 9-10, pp. 5-11, "Satanists had a drug lab
and stores of arms (from the interview with Lali Aptsiauri)"
Two lawyers, David Korkotashvili and Malkhaz Djangirashvili, are
invited to defend Paata Skhirtladze labelled as a serial killer and
maniac.
"Droni" No. 107, September 12, p. 6, "The Georgian "Chikatillo" pleads
not guilty"
The Georgian customs arrested 30 tons of literature of Jehovah's
Witnesses in the Poti seaport in July, referring to the recent
decision of the regional court, which had cancelled the official
registration of two Georgian organisations of JWs. The leaders of
those organisations are going to negotiate with customs officials. If
it does not work, they will have to wait for a decision of the
Vake-Saburtalo district court of Tbilisi where they brought an action
against the customs department a fortnight ago.
"Akhali Taoba" No. 253, September 14, p. 3, "Jehovah's Witnesses to
meet the leadership of the customs department"
A congress of Jehovah's Witnesses was broken up in Marneuli on
September 16. The followers of Vasil Mkalavishvili, an unfrocked
priest, threw stones at the buses with delegates and prevented them
from entering Marneuli. Local authorities and the police did not
interfere. Then the defenders of Orthodoxy broke into the local
resident Tsartsidze's house (the congress venue), piled all the
Jehovah Witnesses' books and booklets they found there in the yard and
burnt them up. According to JW Gennady Gudava, the police had warned
him against carrying out the congress several days before the
incident.
"Akhali Taoba" No. 257, September 18, p. 4, Tamara Absava, "The police
had threatened Jehovah's Witnesses"
A group of Christian believers led by Boris Ivanov put up a 60-metre
metal cross on a hill in the vicinity of the Zedazeni monastery.
(Officially, the construction is implemented by the Georgian Youth
Foundation to the memory of the Georgian warriors killed in Ossetia
and Abkhazia.) The press centre of the Patriarchate of the Georgian
Orthodox Church claims the cross to be "false" and its builders to be
sectarians. The Patriarch issued Decree 165 to ban the construction.
However, Ivanov's group seems determined to continue its work.
"Alia" No. 147, September 18, p. 8, Nino Bitsadze, "Boria the
Sectarian going to winter in Zedazeni"
Leila Tsomaia, the leader of the Zviad Liberator's Party, declared
her solidarity with Basili Mkalavishvili, the unfrocked priest, and
promised to join his crusade against religious sects, unless the
parliament passed a law on religion.
"Alia" No. 148, September 19-20, p. 3, Gea news agency, "Tsomaia ready
to protest"
Nana Devdariani, the ombudsman, says she is very concerned with the
recent crackdowns on Jehovah's Witnesses. In her words, such facts
take place by silent consent of authorities.
"Droni" No. 110, September 19, p. 7, Iprinda news agency, "Jehovah's
Witnesses persecuted by silent consent of authorities"
After a month recess, the Gldani-Nadzaladevi district court of Tbilisi
resumed the hearing of the case Jehovah's Witnesses vs. Basili
Mkalavishvili's followers yesterday to declare a one-day break. (On 17
October 1999, several dozens of Jehovah's Witnesses were beaten by
Mkalavishvili's Orthodox flock (as a result, 16 people got to
hospital, including a woman who lost the sight of one eye.) and JWs'
books were burned. It is of burning the books, not of the beating,
that the JWs accuse their followers. For their part, Mkalavishili and
his followers have brought a counter-suit: they claim that two Jehovah
Witnesses beat Orthodox believers.) The day before the Basilists had
distributed leaflets calling all true believers to come to the
courtroom with crosses on their breasts to be distinguished from
heretics.
"Droni" No. 110, September 19, p. 7, Tea Mtskerashvili,
"Mkalavishvilian ritual in the courtroom"
Nana Devdariani, the ombudsman, told journalists that she was not at
the least unwilling to defend Paata Skhirtladze labelled as a serial
killer.
"Dilis Gazeti" No. 213, September 19, p. 8, "The ombudsman gives
priority to human rights over legal norms"
The investigator decided to transfer Paata Skhirtladze, who was
recently labelled as a serial killer, to the Institute of Psychiatry
for psychiatric examination.
CIPDD
The newspaper deems that Georgia may be expelled from Council of
Europe for persecution of religious minorities in the country. Our
legislators consider it necessary to adopt a special law on religion.
However, if the law is illiberal, the West will terminate its
financial aid to Georgia; on the other hand, a liberal law may cause
general discontent and strengthen opposition parties. (No opposition
party has ever protested against persecution of religious minorities
in Georgia - CIPDD)
"Rezonansi" No. 257, September 21, p. 5, Nino Targamadze, "Georgia
facing the danger of international sanctions and dismissal from
Council of Europe"
Guram Sharadze MP gives himself the merit of the fact that, to keep
her job, Alvira Burdjaliani, a teacher of Georgian language and
literature at the secondary school in the town of Tsageri, was
baptised in the Orthodox Church after he had revealed last August that
she disseminated JW literature among her pupils.
"Rezonansi" No. 258, September 22, p. 2, Prime-News agency, "A Tsageri
teacher converted from Jehovah's Witnesses"
Yesterday's sitting of the parliamentary inter-faction group examined
a draft concordat between the Georgian Orthodox Church and the
government. Among other things, the document provides for compulsory
teaching the Orthodox doctrine in secondary schools and grants the
Church with the exclusive right to publish Orthodox literature. The
newspaper wonders if these articles will be removed in the final
version.
"Droni" No. 113, September 26, p. 2, "Constitutional heresy"
The passport-visa bureau of the interior ministry has appealed to the
ministry of justice to satisfy MP Guram Sharadze's demand and
extradite Russian citizens Boris Ivanov and Fedor Shindrik from
Georgia for violating the Georgian passport regime. Sharadze has been
at odds with the two since they took part in the construction of a
huge metal cross on the Zedazeni hill. The Patriarchate of the
Georgian Orthodox Church has protested against the construction,
claiming its builders to be sectarians. Sharadze's demand is partly
satisfied - Shindrik must leave Georgia in the near future. (In fact,
he left the same week.) As to Boris Ivanov, the justice ministry has
yet to clarify some details.
"Alia" No. 152, September 26-27, p. 2, Gea news agency, "Sharadze's
another victory"
On September 28 the Gldani district police made an attempt to
confiscate religious literature of the Krishnaite community in
Tbilisi. Following the Krishnaite lawyer Gocha Darchia's appeal, Nana
Kakabadze of the NGO "Former Political Prisoners for Human Rights",
Levan Ramishvili of the Liberty Institute, David Akubardia, the
president of the independent TV company "Kavkasia" and journalists of
the "Rezonansi" newspaper and "Rustavi 2" TV company intervened, so
that the police had to withdraw. The police appeared to have no
confiscation warrants but they claimed that they had been ordered by
the interior minister and even a more high-ranking official. The
Krishnaites say the police had confiscated more than 100 tons of their
literature within a week before September 28.
CIPDD
On 28 September the Gldani-Nadzaladevi district court of Tbilisi
completed the first stage of the trial of Vasily Mkalavishvili vs.
Jehovah Witnesses. As a result, the two Jehovah Witnesses charged with
having beaten the assailants, are put on probation. The case of those
charged with burning religious literature will be re-investigated.
CIPDD
......................
Georgians in Russia
Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister, announced Russia's decision
to withdraw from the Bishkek agreement on visa-free cross-border
traffic between the CIS countries. The newspaper wonders how this
decision will affect breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and
hundreds of thousands of Georgian citizens, who found some jobs in
Russia.
"Dilis Gazeti" No. 199, September 2, p. 4, George Asanishvili, "A visa
or not a visa - that is the question"
Although Russia has not enforced the visa regime in its relations with
the other CIS countries yet, Caucasian migrants, who have found some
jobs in Russia, are encountering lots of problems. They are denied
temporary residence or get it for bribe. The number of "false"
marriages and adoptions has also increased remarkably
"Rezonansi" No. 251, September 15, p. 4, Nino Targamadze, "Georgian
dwellers of Moscow saw the cost of their temporary registration ID
hiked up to an unprecedented level"
......................
In and about Abkhazia
The whereabouts of Otar Sabulua, the resident of the village of
Lekukhona, Gali District of Abkhazia, remains unknown. He was captured
by Abkhaz gunmen in August and, according to some unofficial sources,
brought to Gali by Ruslan Zhordania, the commander of the gunmen.
"Rezonansi" No. 243, September 7, p. 2, Gea news agency, "The
whereabouts of the hostage remains unknown"
The "Abkhazskaya Respublika" newspaper published a draft program of
social-economic development of the Abkhaz Republic for the next
decade, which provides for repatriation of descendants of the Abkhaz
emigrants, who left Abkhazia in 1860-80, but says nothing about
repatriation of almost 300,000 Georgian refugees, the article in
"Droni" runs.
"Droni" No. 105, September 7, pp. 1, 7, Levan Abkhazava, "Georgians
will not get back to Abkhazia"
Guda Gamakharia, a 68-year-old Georgian resident of Gali, was
reportedly abducted for ransom on September 7. As if it was not
enough, the Abkhaz halted a bus en route from Zugdidi to Gali in the
Gali District on September 9, the Tbilisi-based security ministry of
the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic says. All the passengers were
conveyed to the Gali police station. Their current whereabouts remains
unknown.
"Akhali Taoba" No. 250, September 11, p. 3, Tamara Absava, "A relative
of Tengiz Djgushia MP's abducted"
The Abkhaz police arrested Guda Gamakharia's abductors, who had
expected some ransom from his influential relative. He is currently in
Sukhumi, waiting for his release.
"Rezonansi" No. 250, September 14, p. 1, Gea news agency, "Djgushia's
relative is in Sukhumi"
At the last four-party talks in the village of Tchuburkhindji, Gali
District of Abkhazia, the Georgian party demanded to release Guda
Gamakharia. (The Abkhaz authorities had freed him from the gunmen but
are still keeping him in Sukhumi.) He is still kept in Sukhumi because
investigators still need his testimony, the Abkhaz party replied.
"Akhali Taoba" No. 255, September 16, p. 2, Gea news agency, "The case
of Guda Gamakharia discussed in Tchuburkhindji"
David Shengelia, the commander of the Georgian guerrilla unit "Forest
Brothers", was arrested in Zugdidi for abusing and battering the head
of local administration and the director of the local market. On
September 15 the Zugdidi court ruled to keep him under three-month
preventive detention. He is charged with violence against officials
and may be sentenced to five years' imprisonment.
"Akhali Taoba" No. 255, September 16, p. 4, Prime-News agency, "The
commander of the "Forest Brothers" sentenced to three-month preventive
detention"
On September 21, the Kutaisi regional court confirmed the earlier
decision of the Zugdidi court, which had chosen up to three months of
detention as a preventive punishment for David Shengelia, the Georgian
guerrilla commander.
"Shvidi Dge" No. 87, September 22-28, p. 1, Nino Gachava, "Dato
Shengelia to remain in prison"
After the commander of the Georgian guerrilla unit "Forest Brothers"
David Shengelia was arrested, the situation in the security zone of
Abkhazia substantially worsened, the UNOMIG officials say referring to
Abkhaz authorities. Checkpoints 104 and 105 of the Russian
peacekeepers have been twice fired at the last two days; Shengelia's
comrades in arms kidnapped Zinom Avidzba, a resident of the village of
Megobroba; Avtandil Berulava, the head of the Gumurishi village
administration, was killed in the Tqvarcheli District. According to
the Gali law-enforcement authorities, the Tbilisi-based government of
Abkhazia demands to free Shengelia.
"Rezonansi" No. 246, September 28, p. 5, Gea news agency, "David
Shengelia seems to have been the main guarantor of stability in the
Gali District"
......................
The NGO "Young Lawyers' Association" worked out a draft law on
repatriation of Muslim Meskhetians. It stipulates that the right for
repatriation should not be granted to those who "may threaten state
security or territorial integrity of Georgia, law and public order, or
public health" or "may contribute to the propaganda of war or
violence, ethnic, regional or religious conflicts". The newspaper
welcomes such "a State approach" and suspects all those who disagree
(including Guram Mamulia, the head of the Repatriation Service of the
Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation) of being foreign security
agents.
"Alia" No. 144, September 12-13, p. 18, Thea Rustiashvili, "Foreign
security services are not asleep"
......................
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